Guarded
by TheElejahDiaries
Summary: What if Elena had gone away with Elijah instead of stabbing him outside the lakehouse? Post 2x15.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N (Also known as a long-winded back-story as to how I came up with the idea for this fic): **I was recently re-watching Season 2 for the umpteenth time because, you know, summer hiatus, and I always start with 2x08 because that's the first episode Daniel Gillies is in, and I may or may not have a raging obsession with him and a certain Elijah Mikaelson, but I digress. Anyway, I continues watching from then on until I got to whatever episode where Elena and Stefan are at the lakehouse and Elijah comes there.

"_I'm a very patient man. I'll wait you out."_

So Elena proceeds to come to the doorway and asks Elijah to renew the terms of their agreement, those little negotiators :')

"_I'm afraid I'm going to have to call your bluff."_

And she gets all stabby on herself and then on Elijah! What a bi- It's times like these that I have to remind myself that Elijah is not one of _the _characters on the show and my love for him is slightly irrational/verging on creepy-stalker-girl.

Anyhooters, while watching this, my twitchy little mind decided to think, "Gee, self, what if Elena allowed Elijah to heal her and take her away like he'd threatened?" Elijah had previously threatened Damon, saying that if he and Stefan got all up in his bidness anymore, he'd take Elena away, protect her himself, and they'd never see her again. Well, Mr. Mikaelson, have I got a fic for you!

Also, I've been focusing on writing a lot of Klaroline – between "It Was Never A Choice", "Barbie and the Beast", and drabbles, I feel like I've been neglecting my OTP (always and forever).

So, without further ado, here's . . . whatever the hell I'm calling this thing!

* * *

Stefan and Elena came down the hallway, knowing Elijah was bound to show up sooner rather than later. Suddenly, Stefan heard a faint noise, just loud enough for his vampire senses to pick up. As they rounded the corner, Stefan heard it again, this time even louder.

"He's here." As he said it, Elena looked up at him and he had just enough time to pull her out from in front of the door as the rocks Elijah had thrown broke it off its hinges, sending it flying backwards, right where Elena had been not a second earlier.

They heard nothing from Elijah, but Elena knew he was just waiting, always waiting. "You have to go. I need to talk to him alone."

Stefan looked appalled at her request, and he was damned if he was going deliver her into the clutches of Original Number One. "Elena –"

"Stefan," Elena pleaded, "I'm okay. He can't come in the house." Elena and Stefan both knew full well Elijah could hear their entire exchange, but Stefan didn't know that Elena was changing the plan.

"You know," Elijah's voice came floating through the doorway, "I may not be able to enter this house, but I am a very patient man. I'll wait you out."

Elena touched Stefan's cheek lightly, her way of not only reassuring him, but saying goodbye. She stepped around the corner and beheld Elijah, still wearing the suit he'd been stabbed in, droplets of blood staining his shirt. She walked to the doorway until she was almost outside. She swallowed nervously, scarcely able to believe she was doing this. "They shouldn't have done what they did."

Elijah almost cut her off, but his gentlemanly qualities broke through his anger. "The deal is off."

Elena fired back. "I'm renegotiating."

Elijah bit back a laugh. "You have nothing left to negotiate with."

It was after he said that, that Elena produced a knife she'd been hiding behind her crossed arms. She raised an eyebrow at him as if to show him she wasn't the useless human he thought her to be. "I'd like to see you lure Klaus into Mystic Falls after the doppelgänger bleeds to death."

Again, Elijah had to keep himself from laughing. After all, the situation was comical. Timid Elena, threatening to kill herself. "Stefan won't let you die."

Elena nodded her head warningly. "No, he won't," she affirmed. "He'll feed me his blood to heal me and then I'll kill myself and become a vampire, just like Katherine did." That stung, and Elijah felt certain Elena knew that. "So," she continued, "unless you want that to happen again, promise me the same as before. Promise me you won't harm anyone that I love – even if they've harmed you."

Elijah shook his head. He wasn't going to fall victim to a teenager's poorly thought out plan. "I'm sorry, Elena. I'm going to have call your bluff," he said as he took a step up on the porch.

Elena looked at him for a moment before plunging the knife into her abdomen. She gasped in pain, her hand still wrapped around the handle of the knife, her knuckles wife.

"_No!_" screamed Elijah, trying to force his way into the house.

Elena gasped for breath, her eyes imploring Elijah.

Elijah contemplated for a fraction of a second. "Yes!" he cried. "Yes, you can have your deal. Let me heal you!"

"Give me your word," Elena uttered through gritted teeth.

Elijah smacked the trim on the doorway. "I give you my word."

Elena stumbled into his arms and he bit his wrist and held it to her mouth. It was then that Damon and Stefan came to stand in the doorway, their brows furrowed.

"What the hell are you doing?" cried Damon, his confusion turning to fury in a second flat. Stefan looked like he couldn't even process Elena's actions.

As Elena drank, Elijah gently pulled the knife from her stomach. She grunted, but continued drinking until she felt herself completely healed. She did not turn to look at the Salvatores. Instead, she produced the silver dagger, complete with white oak ash, and handed it to Elijah.

Damon emitted a feral snarl. "You said you'd take her away only if I did something to . . ." He trailed off, realizing that he had, in fact, stabbed Elijah earlier that night.

"I did not, however, say anything about Elena making her own choice to come with me," Elijah replied, gripping Elena's upper arm.

"This is my choice," said Elena, standing straighter. "I need you both to respect that. I love you, Stefan, but I'm not going to lure Klaus here just so he can torture everyone I care about. That's why I'm going with Elijah. He knows Klaus better than anyone, his habits, his way of thinking, his methods of operation. I'll miss both of you, but this is for the best. Don't come looking for me. Just promise you'll keep everyone safe." She looked to Damon first and came away disappointed. He refused to look at her, even acknowledge her presence. She then turned to Stefan, who was barely able to process her lecture, pleadingly. Finally, he nodded. "Thank you," she said breathlessly, and Elijah knew she was on the verge of tears. She turned to him. "We can go."

Elijah pulled Elena up onto his back and took off into the night, hearing Elena's sobs all along the way. She buried her head in the crook of Elijah's neck and he couldn't help but feel something stirring inside himself – something he hadn't felt in centuries. Elijah ran all the way to the Salvatore home, where he set Elena down and opened the passenger door of his car for her. She got in without a word. Elijah was certain that Stefan and Damon had already called Alaric, and possibly John, and told them what happened, but he also knew that none of them would dare try anything. He was an Original after all. Despite being daggered, he still had his pride. He got in the car and drove them out of Mystic Falls.

* * *

After several hours, Elena spoke up. "Where are we going?" she asked.

Elijah just looked at her, communicating with his eyes. Elena took his stare to mean, _Why would I tell you? You're just a silly, human girl that cannot be trusted. What's to stop you from giving away our location the next time you spot a payphone? How do I know this isn't all a trick devised by your precious Salvatores? _

She cleared her throat. "I know you think I can't be trusted, Elijah, and I've done nothing to show you the opposite. My decision to go with you was a betrayal in itself. I was supposed to dagger you, but I didn't."

"I figured just as much from the looks on the Salvatore brothers' faces," Elijah said simply.

Elena sighed. "Well, are we stopping soon? The human needs food and rest."

"Soon."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Sorry for how long it took for this update! I've been working very hard on the latest three chapters of "It Was Never A Choice" and putting this one off. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_Chapter 2_

When they were well over two hundred miles away from Mystic Falls, Elijah found them a hotel – five star, no less. Elena, despite her sudden and overwhelming exhaustion, couldn't help but be awed by the grandeur of the hotel. She noticed the corner of Elijah's mouth twitch as he watched her out of the corner of his eye. She ignored him nonetheless as they walked up to the front desk, where the receptionist was only too happy to give them the penthouse suite for the night. Elijah hadn't even had to use compulsion on the woman – his charm was compelling enough. It was now, at one in the morning, that Elena realized she had nothing to chance into. She didn't dare say anything to Elijah, though she wondered if he was thinking the same thing as he looked down at his navy blue suit and adjusted it. She wordlessly followed him into the elevator that took them to their suite. At least awkward sleeping arrangements wouldn't be necessary. Though Elena knew she could trust Elijah, she wasn't sure how to act around him. The Original held himself to a high standard, spoke so eloquently, dressed so dapperly, that she found herself trying to meet his expectations for himself. She stood straighter, thought long and hard before she spoke, and, however unnecessarily, walked on eggshells around him. He was a one-of-a-king, and Elena regretted that she had ever considered daggering him. To her, he was not the "evil, Original vampire" that Stefan and Damon made him out to be, nor was he the "Easter Bunny" like Rose had said. Elena laughed to herself at the thought of comparing Elijah to a fictional rabbit that delivered eggs. Elijah could be threatening when he wanted and he could also be kind, fair, and gentle. Whatever the case, he never broke his word and he never did something without just cause.

Elijah held open the door to the penthouse for Elena and she stepped over the threshold and into the most luxurious hotel room she'd ever seen. She felt like she had stepped into the hotel in _Pretty Woman. _Any moment now, Richard Gere was going to walk in, she was sure of it.

Elijah broke her out of her reverie after amusedly watching her take in the room. "I suppose," he said, making her jump, "we'll have to sleep our clothes. I'll find us a store in the morning where we can get suitable replacements."

Elena nodded, blushing as her stomach chose a completely inopportune moment to rumble loudly. Elijah emitted a small and fleeting chuckle. "I'll order room service, shall I?"

"That'd be great, thanks," Elena replied awkwardly.

While Elijah ordered off the menu, Elena made her way into the pristine bathroom off the main bedroom and turned the shower on. She had to force herself to remember that she left Mystic Falls by choice. She missed Stefan – she loved Stefan – and even Damon, a little. But she couldn't keep living her life this way, having decisions made for her. That was why she'd chosen to leave with Elijah. She trusted him wholeheartedly – his word was important to him, just as hers was. Elena shook her head, clearing it. It was too late – or early, rather – for dwelling on all this heavy stuff. She undressed quickly and got into the shower, letting the hot water wash away her exhaustion and troubles. It was a temporary solution for an ongoing problem, but it worked for now.

When Elena had finished and redressed, she made her way out into the living area of the penthouse. There, she found Elijah, sitting comfortably on the the large sofa, and a large amount of food in front of him on the coffee table. Elena gawked from behind Elijah's back at all the food.

"I hope this isn't all for me," she half-laughed, her breath coming out in a nervous huff.

"Eat what you like," said Elijah. "I wasn't sure what you preferred, so I ordered a wide array of items. I'll be in my room if you need me."

He stood up from the couch and began making his way to the second bedroom in the penthouse.

"Elijah?" she said hesitantly, turning around to face him.

He stopped and turned back, his eyebrows raised, waiting for her to speak.

"Thank you for taking me with you. I couldn't stand the thought of staking you after everything you've done to keep me safe. I know you could've just taken the dagger and run, especially after Damon did what he did. But you didn't. So, thank you."

Elijah nodded graciously. "Good night, Elena. Sleep well."

With that, he retreated into the dark bedroom, closing the door behind him. Elena half-smiled at Elijah's reply to her confession and then turned her attention to the smorgasbord before her.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Mystic Falls, Stefan was attempting to keep Damon under control and keep the lakehouse intact.

"You need to calm down, Damon," Stefan growled, throwing his brother up against a wall.

"How can you be okay with this?" Damon countered, shoving Stefan off him and into the opposite wall. "Pretty boy Original just ran off with your girlfriend! Who knows where he's taking her, what he's doing to her?"

"I'm just as thrilled about this as you are, Damon, but we can't just run after them blindly! We need to have a plan. The only thing I'm sure of right now is that Elijah won't hurt her. No matter what we've done to piss him off, he would never harm, or let harm come to, Elena."

Damon rolled his eyes. "You're really pathetic," he spat. "The last thing I need you to do is put your trust in an _Original. _I know you, and you want to get Elena back as badly as I do. So let's get in the car and _go._"

Stefan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Dammit, Damon! Don't do this to me! I need to think, come up with a way to get Elena back."

"I am so tired of your shit," Damon said, exasperated. He really was. "You can sit here, brooding and existing in your own head, but I'm leaving. I'm going to find Elena – with or without you." Stefan kept his head hung, ignoring Damon. Waiting for Stefan to move, to say something, seemed to be a lost cause, and Damon turned and walked out of the lakehouse's living room. As walked through the front door – the door frame, rather, as the the door was lying at the end of the hall – he heard Stefan come into the hall.

"Fine," he conceded, walking down the hall begrudgingly to join Damon at his vehicle.

* * *

"I like this, Stef. Road trip bonding. Suits us well, doesn't it?" Damon remarked, his usual, haughty smirk emerging on his face.

Stefan didn't reply, still put-out that Damon had gotten his way. It wasn't that he didn't want to save Elena – he wanted that more than anything – he just didn't want to go into this blindly.

"We seem to be doing a lot of this lately," Damon continued on, speaking to himself more than to Stefan.

"Let's try and keep it to a minimum," Stefan growled. "Do you even know where we're going?"

Damon had been speeding down the highway out of Mystic Falls for more than hour, darkness still hanging over them. "I figure Elijah likes to travel in luxury, so when we get to the nearest big city and check the most grand, five star hotel, we'll find them."

"You've actually thought this through, haven't you?" Stefan said incredulously.

"Don't act so surprised, Stef," Damon snorted.

"I know you love her, too, Damon," Stefan murmured. At the same moment Stefan began speaking, Damon reached for the volume control on the dash panel and cranked it up, drowning out Stefan. Of course, Damon knew what he was saying, but didn't want to go there. They'd just had this conversation a few weeks ago, for god's sake. Couldn't Stefan just leave it alone for a while? He preferred their playful banter back and forth to when Stefan tried to delve into the deeper subjects. It was going to be a long drive.

* * *

Elena had been asleep for eight hours when she awoke, hearing Elijah puttering around in the living area. She figured it was his way of telling her to get up. She found that she was well-rested and ready to greet the morning. It was quarter to ten and she figured Elijah would want to get a move on. She quickly fixed herself up in the bathroom and came out to face Elijah.

"Good morning," she said brightly.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked cordially.

"Yes, thank you."

"I'm glad to hear that. Are you ready?" It was obvious he had been itching to leave for hours but didn't want to wake her.

Elena nodded, following Elijah out of the penthouse and into the elevator. They rode it down in comfortable silence and when they came out into the lobby, the same receptionist bid them good morning.

"I hope you enjoyed your stay," she said brightly, smiling widely.

"It was very pleasant," affirmed Elijah.

"Enjoy Blacksburg," she replied, waving to them as they exited the hotel.

As Elijah drove, Elena remained silent. There was no music in the car, no noise apart from the familiar clip-clop of the tires on the street. Finally, Elijah pulled into a Target and parked. He gave Elena a credit card. She stared up at him as if he were crazy.

"Buy whatever you need," he told her.

"Elijah, I can't just take your credit card!" Elena gasped.

"I insist," he smiled and began making his way toward the men's suits. It figured. Elena wondered if he even owned a pair of sweatpants.

Credit card in hand, Elena walked over to the women's section where she began picking out tops, bottoms, and all manner of other necessities. After trying the majority of the items on, she proceeded to the checkouts where she slid Elijah's card, feeling completely guilty as she read the total on the screen. He was going to kill her.

She went outside to wait by the car, only to find that Elijah was already there. He said nothing in response to the amount of bags she was carrying, and only smiled at her as she approached with a sheepish expression on her face. He took her bags and placed them in the backseat, and when he turned back around, Elena was holding out the credit card.

He shook his head. "Keep it," he said.

"Elijah, I am not going to keep your credit card!"

"I insist," he said in a mirror of their previous conversation.

Elena rolled her eyes and got into the car, shutting the door a little harder than necessary.

As he walked around the car, Elijah couldn't help but chuckle. She was such a challenge, but that was what he enjoyed about her. When he got in, he noticed droplets of water collecting on his windshield, but he hadn't felt rain.

"It's snowing!" Elena smiled, leaning forward to look out at the cloudy sky. "It's not even November."

"I'm sure there will be more where that came from," said Elijah.

"What does that mean?" Elena asked, confused.

"How do you feel about Wisconsin, Elena?"

* * *

As Elijah pulled out of the Target parking lot, Stefan and Damon were walking into the hotel. Stefan pulled out the picture of Elena he kept in his wallet and showed it to the receptionist.

"Have you seen her?" he asked.

"I'm afraid, for security reasons, we can't divulge any information about our hotel's residents –"

Damon growled and pushed Stefan out of the way. "Let me handle this, will you?" He turned to face the receptionist, a menacing expression on his face. He leaned in, his eyes dilating as he spoke. "Have you seen her?"

"Yes," replied the receptionist, her voice emotionless. "She came in last night with a man in a suit." Damon gave Stefan a significant look. "They left about an hour ago."

"Thank you," said Stefan absently as he and Damon hurried out of the hotel.

"My bet," said Damon as he hurriedly put his car in drive and peeled out of the hotel parking lot, "is that they're already gone."

"I agree, but we have no idea where they're going. North, south, east, west, they could be going anywhere."

"I don't think Elijah would double back and go east, so we can rule that out," said Damon, running a red light.

"Would you watch what you're doing?" Stefan shouted.

"Why, because getting hit by a car will kill us?" Damon spat.

"No, because I'd rather not kill anyone else!"

Damon rolled his eyes, but stopped for the next red light. "Happy now?"

"Absolutely thrilled."

* * *

Elijah had been driving for just under six hours when Elena piped up.

"Do you think we could stop? The human's hungry."

"Oh, of course," Elijah said, taken aback. How could he keep forgetting that she needed to eat? "Forgive my forgetfulness, Elena."

"It's okay, Elijah," laughed Elena. "It's not like I'm wasting away to nothing."

"Where would you like to eat?" he asked.

Elena spotted a Denny's and decided that was just fine. "Denny's is good," she said.

He pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine. He held open the door to the restaurant for Elena and a hostess greeted them cheerfully.

"Good afternoon," she said, leading them to a table. "What can I get to drink for you?"

"I'll have water," Elena said.

"I'm fine, thank you," Elijah said politely.

"All right, I'll be right back with your water," said the hostess, handing Elena and Elijah each a menu.

* * *

When Elena had finished eating and Elijah had payed the bill, they got back in the car.

"Sorry to make you watch me eat," Elena muttered.

"Elena, don't apologize. It's not a problem at all. I've had centuries and centuries to get over the fact that I will never enjoy human food again. Don't feel the need to justify your actions to me. You're human and I'm not."

Elena was slightly taken aback by Elijah's speech. She supposed she should get over it, too, but she hadn't expected him to be so frank. Before she could say anything in response, Elijah spoke again.

"I hope you don't mind if I drive straight through. I'd rather get to our destination in one day."

"That's fine," answered Elena, staring out at the blue sky. The snow had stopped soon after they left Blacksburg and the sky over Dayton a clear, cloudless blue. She saw it as a good omen, that this was the right thing to do. It was then that she realized that she hadn't thought of the Salvatores at all that day. It felt good.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Elena had drifted off to sleep almost an hour after she and Elijah left Dayton. The comforting purr of the car had lulled her to sleep more easily than she would have cared to admit, especially when she was in the presence of an Original vampire. She had never intended to fully let her guard down around Elijah, but that was easier said than done when she considered how exhausted she was. She slept dreamlessly for the next eight and a half hours.

"Good evening," Elijah's voice greeted her as she stirred.

Opening her bleary eyes, Elena realized it was dark out. She glanced at the glowing, digital clock on the dash panel and saw that it was just after ten o'clock. After stretching as best she could in Elijah's cramped car and rubbing her eyes, she felt considerably more awake.

"Where are we?"

"We're in the outer limits of Green Bay," Elijah said simply.

Elena looked at him blankly.

"Titletown?" he offered. "Go, Pack, go?"

"Are you using football terminology to explain where we are? I haven't watched TV since before vampires invaded my town. Not the best choice."

Elijah looked momentarily taken aback by Elena's boldness, but his features quickly rearranged themselves into a mask of uncaring indifference.

Elena wasn't sure why she'd come off so snarky and cranky. She was tired of being in the car, tired of living out of a suitcase. Sure, it had only been a day and a half, but she'd never been much of a traveler. She wasn't regretting leaving with Elijah, but she was tired of jumping from place to place. Attempting to soften her tone, she spoke again.

"Are we staying in Green Bay?"

"Just for the night. After that, we're going to Marinette. It's big enough that we'll blend in, but small enough that neither Klaus nor your Salvatores would ever think of looking for you there."

Elena nodded. She'd never been to Wisconsin. Where were the cows and cheese? The next five minutes were silent until they pulled into the parking lot of a Country Inn and Suites. Elena grabbed the duffel bag shed bought along with her clothes out of the backseat.

Unfortunately, the only rooms available had one bed and a pull-out sofa. Elijah said that was fine, handed the man his credit card, and he and Elena walked down a long hallway where Elijah slid the room key into the slot and held open the door for Elena. The room was nice, warm, and clean as age set her bag down on the sofa. She began moving the small coffee table out of the way so she could pull out the bed, when Elijah cleared his throat.

"Elena, I have no intentions of making you sleep on a pull-out sofa. The bedroom is yours."

"Elijah, I can sleep on the couch for a night. It won't kill me."

"I can see how exhausted you are. I'm rather observant. Please, take the bedroom."

Elena sighed and grabbed her bag off the sofa. She took her bathroom bag out of the duffel and proceeded to the bathroom. When she emerged, all the lights in the room were off and she was as blind as a bat.

"Good night, Elena," came Elijah's voice.

She couldn't help but jump as she shuffled her way through the darkness. She found the door to the bedroom and before slipping inside, she muttered, "Night."

* * *

"Sing it with me, Stefan!" Damon shouted over the blaring music in his car. "Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe!"

Stefan smacked his palm to his forehead, letting it slide down his face in exasperation. He leaned forward and shut off the volume.

"Where the hell are we?"

"No idea," Damon replied. "Fear not, brother, road signs are our friends!"

"Jesus, Damon," Stefan said irritatedly. "One moment you're dragging me out of the house to go on some poorly planned rescue mission, the next you've no idea where we are and you're singing one of the worst songs I've ever heard!"

"I can put it on a different station," Damon pouted, turning the volume back up and turning the dial until another station became clear. He wiggled his eyebrows as if to ask Stefan if he liked this one better as he began singing along again.

"I get what you get in ten years in two days! Ladies love me-"

"Damon, shut the hell up." Stefan reached over once again and turned the radio off, this time yanking off the knob.

"You're paying for that," Damon growled. Stefan ignored him when he saw the telltale green of a road sign.

"Hello, Wisconsin!" Damon shouted, earning an irritated and disapproving look from Stefan. "What? You liked 'That 70s Show'!"

* * *

"How long does it take to get to Marinette?" Elena asked over the complementary breakfast the hotel offered.

"About forty-five minutes when you do the speed limit," Elijah answered.

Elena couldn't help but laugh. "I have a feeling you won't be doing the speed limit."

"I'm afraid not, but I assure you, Elena, that you'll be safe."

"Elijah, you don't need to keep telling me that," Elena said, almost irritably. "I trust you. I trust that you'll keep me out of harm's way, and that you'll keep your word."

"You're far too kind for your own good, Elena," Elijah remarked. "While my intentions are honorable, others' are not. You must exercise caution when in public. For all I know, someone in this room could be working for Klaus."

Elena nodded. She appreciated Elijah's advice, but she wasn't stupid. She knew there could be anyone around that knew Katherine and could try to attack her. There could be anyone, anywhere that was one of Klaus's minions and she was constantly in danger. But that wasn't going to stop her from living her life.

"All set?" Elijah asked when Elena had finished her breakfast.

"Definitely," she answered. They'd already loaded their bags back into Elijah's car.

Elijah walked up to the counter and checked them out, and they headed out to the car to be greeted by flakes of the white stuff falling and sticking to the ground. Elena smiled again. She had only seen snow a few times in her life, and she always took the time to appreciate it. One of her favorite memories with snow had involved her mother and Jenna...

"Oh my god," she gasped.

Elijah sped over to her in an instant. "What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice panicked.

"Jenna... I completely forgot about her! She must be worried sick!"

"Would you like to call her?"

Elena stopped cold. "You'd let me do that?"

Elijah gave something reminiscent of a smile. "Elena, you're not my prisoner," he said, offering her his cell phone. "I just ask that you do not reveal our location."

"Thank you." She dialed Jenna's number and she picked up on the first ring.

"Elena, where the hell have you been? Stefan and Damon are off looking for you and you haven't called me in two days! I thought the worst!"

"Jenna, I'm so sorry," Elena said sadly, knowing that she deserved everything Jenna was throwing at her.

"Where are you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Jenna," she said, dodging the first question.

"Just tell me where you are and I'll come get you," Jenna pleaded.

"I can't, Jenna. I promise you, I'm fine and I'm safe. But this is for the best. I needed to get away for a while. I love you so much, Jenna."

"Elena, don't hang up -"

Elena hit the 'end' button on the phone, tears streaming down her face. Elijah was by her side instantaneously and she wiped her cheeks, not wanting him to see her so vulnerable.

"Are you all right?" he asked awkwardly.

She nodded. "I'm fine. Let's go."

* * *

"The state's not that big, so she can't be that hard to find," Stefan hissed. They'd already been all over Milwaukee and the lower half of the state.

"We don't even know if she's here, Stef," Damon pointed out.

"Your 'helpfulness' is really not helping at all."

Damon rolled his eyes. He was just trying to be realistic.

"I say we cover the entire state and then move into the next one."

"There are fifty states, Damon! That'll take longer than we have."

"Do you have a better plan?"

Stefan's silence was answer enough.

* * *

A/N: We know Damon has an unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift, so why not have him sing "Call Me Maybe"? :D I have problems.

Let me know your thoughts on this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

Elena and Elijah arrived in Marinette in just under half an hour, and Elena was too occupied by her phone call with Jenna to care about the margin by which Elijah was breaking the speed limit. The entire way there, she couldn't help but replay the entire conversation in her mind over and over again. She felt incredibly guilty for forgetting about her aunt at a time when Jenna needed her more than ever. Between the constant threat of Klaus and her fight with Alaric, Jenna was alone and unprotected. Sure, Alaric would do whatever he could, but that wasn't much when Jenna wouldn't even let him in the house. Of course, there was John, but those two certainly weren't the best of friends either.

Not that she wanted to go back. Elena felt liberated. She was finally away from the hellhole that was Mystic Falls. She loved the people who resided there, but the town was a magnet for trouble and supernatural activity. At least she could lure the people threatening to hurt her family away. This was the only way she could ensure that her family and friends would remain safe, and she knew neither Stefan nor Damon would agree to the idea. And that was why she'd chosen Elijah. They had an understanding, a respect for each other. Elijah let her make her own decisions. She wasn't his prisoner, as he'd made clear. He'd given her a credit card for goodness sake!

Elijah didn't stop until they were on a road that followed the bay. Elena had to admire the beauty of the area. Sure, it wasn't The Falls, but it was beautiful nonetheless. He stopped the car outside a house where a realtor was changing out a "For Sale" sign with one that said "Sold". Elena couldn't help but laugh. Elijah had bought a house.

"Welcome home," he said softly as he killed the engine.

Elena smiled and got out of the car, eager to explore the house. It was small, quaint, and she loved it immediately. The realtor unlocked the door for her and she slipped inside. It was only one story with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Elena was fairly certain that Elijah would insist upon her taking the master bed and bath. The floors throughout the house were a dark hardwood, and the bathrooms were both very expensive looking tile. The kitchen was a chef's dream, complete with stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops. Overall, the house was gorgeous. She opened the backdoor to find a breathtaking view of Green Bay, waves crashing upon the shore. It was too bad she wouldn't be able to enjoy the water, as she was shivering in the cool October air just standing on the deck. She could hear Elijah and the realtor wrapping things up in the kitchen. When the realtor was gone, Elijah stepped outside onto the deck, keeping a respectable distance between their bodies.

"I gather you approve?"

"Of what?" Elena said absently. Then, shaking her head and snapping out of her reverie, she laughed. "Sorry, I guess I was daydreaming. Yes, I love the house and the view. It's gorgeous."

Elijah chuckled. "I'm glad. May I ask what you were daydreaming about?" he asked hesitantly.

"I think it's better that you don't ask, Elijah."

Elijah bowed his head, conceding to her wishes. Suddenly, Elena became very frustrated.

She turned to Elijah, her arms still crossed as she shivered. "Why do you always just go with whatever I want?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Elijah said, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion at Elena's sudden mood change.

She sighed. "Stefan and Damon would have pestered me until I told them what I was thinking. You're just so . . . so . . ." Elena searched for the right word, but she couldn't find one to express what she meant.

"Gentlemanly?" Elijah offered. "Considerate? I'm sorry, Elena, but I don't see how that could be construed as a problem. Would you rather I harass you like the Salvatores, force you to tell me every single thing on your mind? I'm a firm believer in personal space and the privacy of one's mind."

Elena was truthfully a little surprised by Elijah's rant. "It's not really a problem," she confessed. "It's just something I'm not used to. Stefan always wants to know if or why I'm upset. Sometimes I'm not even upset – I'm just thinking – and he gets so invasive. Damon doesn't even want to let me think for myself, let alone want to know why I'm thinking something. I guess I just get taken aback by your willingness to accept what I say and back off. It's something so far out of the ordinary for me. So what I'm trying to say is _thank you._"

Elijah gave something of a smile as he looked down at Elena. "You're strange, Elena Gilbert."

"I guess living a life surrounded by vampires has that affect on a person," she countered, smiling widely at the Original. Suddenly, she didn't feel so cold.

* * *

"What is with the names of cities in this state?" Damon scoffed as they passed yet another road sign on their way back onto the highway. "Shawano . . ." He pronounced it as if it were three separate words and Stefan rolled his green eyes.

"It's _Shawano,_" Stefan corrected, pronouncing it as one. "Not Sha-wa-no."

"Oh, get down off your pedestal, Mr. High-And-Mighty," Damon muttered.

"Where do you plan on dragging me next?" Stefan asked, ready for a subject change.

"I was thinking we could try Wausau, work our way West and up and back East to the Door peninsula."

"Have you actually given this some thought?" Stefan asked incredulously.

"Contrary to your beliefs, brother, I _do _want to find your little girlfriend. I just want to have fun while doing it."

* * *

**A/N: **Yes. I know. Slow updating. Sorry. Yes. It's also a really short chapter. Punch me. Hate me. Whatever. My grandma (different from the great-grandma who was in the hospital and the other great-grandma who passed away) was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia and was flown early yesterday morning by Flight For Life to Green Bay. She's on a ventilator and is heavily sedated. It's been a very upsetting couple of days, and I should've updated sooner anyway, but I didn't, so there you have it.

And if you don't know the state like I do, search for a map of good ol' Wisconsin, home of cheeseheads, beer drinkers, and . . . what else do we have? (NOTHING.) Elijah and Elena were in Green Bay and traveled northeast to Marinette. Damon and Stefan have covered the lower half of the state, starting with Milwaukee, and are now in Shawano, near the center of the state, and heading for Wausa (northwest). So, this means our lovely Salvatore brothers aren't going to be in Marinette for a while! Wonder what will happen with Elijah and Elena! Dun dun dun, and all that dramatic music.

And that bit of Michigan that looks like it's eating Wisconsin is the U.P.

Eh.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

"Eagle River," said Damon as he pulled to a stop next to a gas pump. One of the downfalls of taking a car – it needed gas, whereas he and Stefan could run for days. But Steffie wanted to "keep up appearances".

"And Elena's going to be here?" Stefan asked doubtfully.

"Always the pessimist, brother," Damon reproved, sticking a fifty dollar bill into the pump.

"Maybe I wouldn't be such a pessimist if I thought we were getting close to finding Elena!"

"Shh!" Damon hissed. "You'll scare the grandmas." There were two older ladies filling up at the next pump and staring at the Salvatores with perturbed expressions. Stefan rolled his eyes.

"And when we scour the entire town and find nothing, are you going to stop harassing me about being pessimistic?"

"Now why would I do that, Stef?" Damon asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I love harassing you too much."

* * *

_October 29_

_Dear Diary,_

_I don't know what's wrong with me . . . I'm thinking about Stefan and Damon less and less. I don't know if it's because I've been keeping myself busy, or if it's the distance. It's kind of liberating, being able to make my own decisions. Elijah is . . . I was going to say 'different', but that would be the understatement of the century. He's kind, caring, considerate – I get the feeling that he'd take a bullet for me. I feel bad for snapping at him yesterday, but it's like he's almost _too _nice. I've been so used to being told what to do and where to go that it's disconcerting the way Elijah lets me do what I want – to an extent. I know his bodyguard tendencies are only for my safety, but he's not smothering the way Stefan and Damon were. _

_Of course, I miss Jenna, Jeremy, and Ric, but I know it's for the best. I haven't called Jenna since we were in Green Bay, which is only a day and a half, but it feels like so much longer. Elijah was kind enough to buy this diary for me, and I'm already putting it to good use. It's just like the old days, before my life was completely overtaken by vampires. Right now, I'm sitting out on an old picnic table near the water. I brought a blanket, because even though it's only October, it _is _Wisconsin. I think they call it the frozen tundra, and for good reason. In two days, it's Halloween, and I heard about a party at the bowling lane just down the road. I'm going to see if I can persuade Elijah to go._

_I guess that's it for now . . . I'll write soon._

_Elena_

Elena put down her pen and closed the diary Elijah had bought her. He'd gone into town to pick up groceries, trusting her to be by herself for a short while. He didn't believe there was any imminent danger here in the small town, but he was keeping his eye out just in case. He didn't know if Klaus's hybrids had been on his trail since they left Mystic Falls or if they had lost them. There was no way to tell.

Elena heard a car pull into the driveway, the familiar sound of gravel crunching underneath the tires. She got up, taking her diary and setting it in her room on the way through to the kitchen. She smiled when she saw Elijah carrying in bags from the grocery store.

"Anything mysterious and supernatural happen while I was gone?" he joked as he set the bags on the counter.

Elena shut the door behind him. "Shockingly, no," she replied, taking cans and bags and boxes and storing them in cabinets. It was silent as they put away the rest of the groceries. "So," Elena piped up, taking a seat on a tall stool and resting her elbows on the island.

"So," said Elijah, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"There's a Halloween party at the Dome Lanes and I think we should go," she said, hoping he wouldn't shoot her down.

Elijah took in her sincere, hopeful expression and sighed. "Do I have to dress up?" he asked with a sigh.

Elena's face lit up instantly. "Yes!" she laughed. "But don't worry. I have the perfect idea."

* * *

Two days later, Elijah stood in the living room, Elena having just finished working on his costume. "I cannot believe you are making me do this, Elena," Elijah growled, adjusting his cape.

Elena was enjoying his foul mood to the fullest extent as she moved into the bathroom to put on her costume. After she had told him the idea for their costumes, he'd rolled his eyes and given her the key to his car, not really believing she was going through with it. He assumed she'd pick out some traditional Halloween costume for the both of them, but when he saw the items she'd come home with, his heart had dropped into his stomach.

So there he stood, wearing a tuxedo and a cape, ghostly white makeup on his face, eyeliner – _eyeliner – _and fake fangs. How she had talked him into this, he honestly didn't know. Maybe she compelled him. After all, she was going as a vampire as well. She emerged from the bathroom in a blood-red corset dress that hugged her small frame and made her . . . _assets _much more noticeable. She wore high heeled stilettos and her brown hair cascaded down her back. As for her face, she had nixed the pale, color-sapping makeup and opted for thick, black eyeliner, fake eyelashes, and blood-red lipstick to match the dress. She had fake fangs as well, but they weren't clumsy and cumbersome for her. She looked seductive, sexy, like a true creature of the night.

"How do I look?" she purred, twirling around in front of Elijah.

He was speechless, feeling as though he'd swallowed his tongue. He quickly composed himself and cleared his throat. "You look beautiful," he said genuinely.

She smiled, fangs protruding over her bottom lip. "Thank you. Ready?"

He nodded. "But you know the drill. I don't know who'll be there, and Klaus could have people there, ready and waiting. Please be careful and try not to stray too far from my sight."

It was possibly the thirtieth time he'd gone through this with Elena and she rolled her eyes. "I don't have to be glued to you, but I have to be careful, even if it seems safe, et cetera. I got it, Elijah."

He sighed. "All right, then. Let's go."

* * *

Stefan and Damon had made it up to Superior and down to Eau Claire and had found no trace of Elijah and Elena. They were fighting more than ever as they headed clear across the state, through Shawano and toward Oconto and Marinette.

"This was the dumbest plan I ever heard of," grumbled Stefan.

"Are you ever going to shut the fuck up?" Damon hissed right back as they drove out of Oconto and headed toward Marinette, having found no sign of their missing doppelgänger. "I'm doing the best I can, Stefan, and if you have a better idea, I'm all ears!"

Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "We can't keep fighting like this. We'll never find Elena this way."

"Damn skippy," Damon growled. "We'll check Marinette and then head to Door County." He sighed heavily, sounding more tired than Stefan had ever heard him. "I can't think of anything else to do, Stefan. I just want to find her."

"Me too, Damon. I know you're doing the best you can. I miss her, too."

* * *

Stefan and Damon were speeding down University Drive in Marinette just as Elena and Elijah were leaving for the Dome Lanes, located across the road from the UW campus . . . on University Drive. They were driving opposite ways, Damon's and Stefan's eyes peeled for signs of Elena, and Elena and Elijah making casual small talk on the way to the Halloween party.

"_Holy shit!" _Damon cried.

"What?" asked Stefan, who had momentarily looked out on the bay.

"That was them!"

"Are you kidding me?" Stefan shouted, craning his neck to look behind them. Sure enough, he recognized Elijah's car. "Turn around!"

Without checking for traffic, Damon slammed on the brakes and made a u-turn in the middle of the road. Speeding behind Elijah's car until they caught up, Stefan couldn't help but let out a relieved laugh.

"Are they going _bowling?_" Damon asked incredulously as they pulled into the Dome Lanes's parking lot.

Stefan shrugged as they followed them, almost jumping out of the car before Damon had completely stopped it.

"Elena!" he shouted as she got out of the car and she spun, her eyes wide with shock. She looked at Elijah, conveying something with her eyes.

Elijah, now feeling even more ridiculous in his Halloween getup, blurred over to stand in front of Elena. She looked as if she took comfort in his close proximity, which only made the Salvatores more angry.

"Elena, what are you doing?" Stefan demanded as they came to stand next to Elijah's car.

"Stefan, please leave. You too, Damon," she said shakily, addressing the two brothers.

"Elena, what are you saying? Does he have you compelled?"

Elena scoffed as Elijah spoke up. "I assure you, Stefan, that I would never stoop so low as to take away Elena's free will." It was an insinuation directed at whichever brother would respond. Elijah figured at least one of them had compelled her at some point. Unsurprisingly, it was Damon who bristled angrily at the remark.

"Leave," Elena begged. "_Please. _I'm one hundred percent _okay. _Elijah has taken very good care of me, and I just wanted to settle down here. I won't live my life on the run, but I can't stay in Mystic Falls and lure Klaus there. That's where everyone I love is . . . and where you two _should _be."

Stefan looked utterly defeated by her words, but Damon wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Get your ass in my car, Elena. _Now,_" he said dangerously, taking a step forward.

Elijah blocked Elena from view completely. "There's no need for me to hurt you, Damon, if you stop now. Elena asked you to leave – several times – and you need to listen. She's safe with me – safer than she's ever been with you.

That was the final straw. Damon lunged at Elijah, while Elena screamed for them to stop. Stefan flew forward and grabbed Elena. In an instant, he had her safely in his arms as she struggled against him.

"Elena," he said, trying to calm her. "It's me, Stefan. Why are you being like this?"

Elena had tears flowing down her face as she watched Elijah and Damon blur around the parking lot, trading punches. "Stefan, I don't love you. Not anymore." It broke her heart to say it, but it was the truth, and he deserved to know.

"Because you're in love with him?" he said, his voice thick with emotion.

"No. Because I realized what it's like to have the freedom to do things yourself and not be forced into something each and every day. That's what you and Damon were doing – you weren't letting me think for myself. Elijah manages to do that _and _make sure I'm safe."

She was about to say more, but the blurring stopped and Elijah had Damon in a headlock and a branch in his had, hovering over Damon's chest.

"Let go of Elena, or I'll kill him," threatened Elijah. Elena sensed the seriousness in his voice, and she was scared for Damon.

"Let me go, Stefan," she urged, still wanting to protect the Salvatores. Even though she didn't love either of them, she still cared for them, wanted them safe.

Stefan slowly released Elena and Elijah threw down the branch and flung Damon to the ground, beckoning Elena over to him. She clung to him and he put an arm around her protectively.

"I think it's time you two left," he said as Elena moved away from him, heading for the door. She couldn't be out there any longer, she couldn't say goodbye to them, and Elijah understood that, so he let her go. "If I see your faces around here again, I will not hesitate to kill you both. Elena has made it clear that she does not want you in her life and that she is content here, and I do not want you two compromising that. Do you understand?"

Elijah took their angry silence as a yes. He turned and headed into the bowling alley. His eyes searched the crowd for Elena when he felt a kick to his shin. Spinning around, he saw who had done it. There was a woman dressed as a witch and a man wearing a grim reaper costume carrying a nearly incapacitated Elena out of the bowling alley, unnoticed by the others. She had managed to kick Elijah to alert him, but they had her gagged. He sped forward, cutting through the crowd, not bothering to apologize.

"Elena!" he cried out, his eyes catching hers as the two grunts carried her out the door. Elijah made it out not too much later and spotted Stefan and Damon still loitering around their car. He called out to them and they caught sight of Elena's limp body. They began to give chase, but the man stopped and held out a hand, crippling Stefan and Damon instantly. They cried out in pain as Elijah passed them, trying to get to Elena. He would not, _could not, _let them take her. He was right behind them when someone stepped in his way.

"Elijah," drawled the man. "Long time, no see."

_Klaus._

* * *

**A/N: **Oh to the snap. So, Klaus has made his first appearance! What will happen next? Will he be able to take Elena? What will become of Stefan and Damon? Please let me know your thoughts/predictions in a review :) I love hearing from you guys!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Thank you so much for wishing my grandma well! She came home today! She'll be on oxygen for another week or so, but otherwise, all is well. It's now that I'm finally grasping how close she was to not making it. It was very scary and very close, but she's just working on getting back her full lung capacity. She's done amazingly, so thank you all! Without further ado, chapter six!

* * *

Klaus.

_Klaus. _

Klaus, with his blonde curls, his blue eyes, his dimples. Klaus, with synonyms like menacing, dangerous, malicious, and threatening. Klaus, who wanted Elena and her blood. Klaus, who wouldn't think twice about daggering his last remaining sibling – the only one who'd survived just as long as he had. Klaus, who was angry that Elijah had evaded him all these years, had managed to stay out of his grasp. Klaus, who wanted Elijah dead and out of his way.

Elijah held his tongue. One slip, and it was all over. It was better to stay silent, to let Klaus speak first, to gauge his mood, his willingness to cooperate.

"It seems you can't keep away from the doppelgängers, can you, brother? Already hopelessly in love with this one and you've not even let go of Katerina."

Elijah watched over Klaus's shoulder as Elena's eyes filled with tears. She was standing now, as Klaus's grunts had put her down. She looked at Elijah incredulously.

"Is that the only reason you cared for me, Elijah? Because I looked like Katherine?"

"Elena," he started, but Klaus turned and cut him off.

"Lovely Elena," Klaus purred, taking a step toward her, making her flinch. "I can only imagine what Elijah's going to say, but I have a feeling it'll sound just like what he told dear Katerina."

No. She didn't want to believe it. She couldn't. She wouldn't.

But how couldn't she? Stefan had confessed that her resemblance to Katherine was what initially drew him in, so why should it be any different with Elijah, who had been taken with her so long ago? If he did feel something for her, why wouldn't it be because he'd been in love with Katherine? God, it all made sense now. Why he'd taken her away, why he'd wanted to keep her from Stefan and Damon. And she'd been foolish enough to let him, to want him to take her away. And now it was her fault that she was in Klaus's grasp and that Stefan and Damon were lying on the ground, utterly incapacitated.

"Oh," Klaus pouted, "don't cry, love." He strode over to Elena and, using the pad of his thumb, wiped the tears from her face. "We'll get you away from nasty Elijah now."

Despite her confusion and hurt, Elena wanted nothing but to get away from Klaus. Yes, she'd lured him away from Mystic Falls, but she'd still wanted to evade him. She didn't want to go with Klaus, she didn't want to die!

"Let's go," Klaus announced, nodding to his two minions. As Klaus began walking away, Elijah had to bite his tongue to keep from calling out, which would be one of the worst things he could do for Elena. If he did something to anger Klaus, he would certainly take it out on Elena, and he needed her to survive for as long as possible so he could figure out how to get her out.

"Oh," Klaus said suddenly, turning on his heel and striding back to his brother, "and Elijah, here's something to say, 'I've missed you'." And with that, he plunged a dagger into his heart and Elijah could do nothing but gasp and crumple to the ground.

Elena's tears fell harder and faster as she looked at the Original who'd vowed to protect her through thick and thin. She'd made him so vulnerable. Whether or not his affections had been because of her resemblance to Katherine or because Elijah had truly felt something for her, she couldn't help but feel guilty. She'd been able to lure Klaus away from Mystic Falls, but she'd lured him here, to Wisconsin, where Elijah was, and he was once again daggered. And there wasn't a thing she could do.

Klaus nodded to his minions and they began walking, one with each arm interlocked with one of Elena's.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, attempting to make her voice firm and angry, but it came out as a broken whimper.

"Does it really matter?"

* * *

When Stefan and Damon recovered from the warlock's spell, it was pitch black outside and they could scarcely make out the figure that lay only yards from them. Groaning and sighing as they sat up, the two brothers looked at each other and back to the figure.

"What the . . . Oh, _shit._"

"What is it?" Stefan asked, moving closer. Upon realizing it was Elijah, he gaped, looking up at Damon to gauge his reaction. When he remained silent, Stefan decided to voice his own opinion. "We have to undagger him. He's the only one who knows Klaus, knows his patterns, his thoughts, everything. We can't find Elena without him."

Damon sighed. "I know."

"You do?" Stefan asked incredulously.

"I don't want to do it, but it's our only option. The next full moon is in two days, and we're hopeless without Original number one over here."

Damon leaned down and pulled the dagger from Elijah's chest.

"Now what?" Stefan asked.

"We wait."

* * *

When Elena woke, she was in a giant bed surrounded by red satin hangings and plush pillows. She was so comfortable that she could barely bring herself to get up. When she pulled back the hanging, she realized where she was and why she was there.

She didn't know how long she'd been there, or how long she'd been asleep, but she knew she was destined for death.

* * *

**A/N: **I know it's a short chapter, but I haven't updated in a quite a while, and I wanted to get something up for you guys. The next chapter will be a big one!

Thank you for all your support and feedback on this fic! :)


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

**A/N: **I just want to apologize for how long this update has taken. This is ridiculous, even for me. If you want, you can follow me on tumblr (cuddly-hybrids) for updates and sneak peeks for all my fics. I grossly overestimated the amount of free time I was going to have this school year. I'm taking two college credit classes and I work 2-3 days a week. I did cut down my hours, but that still doesn't mean updates will be very frequent. I'm doing the best I can, and I really do feel terribly about making you precious readers and reviewers wait so long, but if you're sticking with this fic, I really, truly appreciate it!

* * *

For a minute and not a second more, Elena felt hope. Hope that Elijah would miraculously save her from Klaus's grasp. Hope that Damon and Stefan could put aside their differences long enough to free her. Hope that she would live to see Jenna, Jeremy, Ric, and even John again.

All those hopes came crashing down around her in seconds when she remembered that Damon and Stefan were incapacitated and that Elijah had been daggered. She was up a creek without a paddle – that much was obvious.

There was a knock at her door, and she cowered in the far corner of her bed, wholeheartedly expecting Klaus to appear. Who she saw was a bigger surprise than she was prepared for.

* * *

"How long does it take for Dagger Boy over here to wake up?" Damon groaned.

"You're the one who told me we have to wait . . .," Stefan muttered, put-out.

Damon glared at his brother out of the corner of his eye. "I'm _aware _of that, but it's not like we have all the time in the world!"

"Damon, stop," Stefan sighed. "We can't fight anymore. Not when the situation is so dire. Elena's life is in Klaus's hands, and I'm certain he won't be very forgiving when it comes to his sacrifice."

Damon didn't reply, but he watched intently as Elijah's eyelids fluttered. "He's waking up."

Elijah groaned at sat up, his eyes still closed. Stefan and Damon remained silent as he acclimatized. Then his head began whipping back and forth, his eyes wide, as he searched for the one person he wasn't going to find.

"Elena," he muttered, blurring into a standing position. "Elena. Where is she?"

Stefan shook his head.

Elijah's eyes flashed dangerously, but his face filled with worry. Immediately, it all became clear to Damon.

"You're in love with her," he said plainly. It was not a question, but a simple statement of fact.

Elijah appeared taken off guard momentarily, but his expression turned stony. "My feelings for Elena are irrelevant at the moment. The only thing that matters is finding and saving her before it is too late."

Damon wasn't backing down, though. "So you admit it?"

Elijah sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Would it really matter, Damon? She'll never return my feelings. She's far too enraptured by you two."

Stefan laughed spitefully. "Elijah, she told me that she doesn't love me anymore. Or Damon."

Elijah gave pause, his eyes widening only slightly as he processed the new information. Then he shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. After an awkward silence, he finally spoke. "That doesn't mean she has feelings for me."

"Wouldn't doubt it," muttered Damon, almost inaudibly. He knew Elijah heard it, but he gave no reaction.

Stefan cleared his throat. "You're the only one who knows Klaus. Where does he have her?"

* * *

"Tyler!" Elena cried, jumping out of her bed and running over to him. He threw his arms around her and she readily embraced him back. "How long have you been here?" she asked in confusion.

"Just a couple days. I was with Caroline when a couple of Klaus's minions appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me. I have no idea what happened to Caroline, though."

While this was worrying, she was too overwhelmed by seeing a familiar face to process much else.

Tyler took a step back and looked at Elena confusedly. "Why are _you _here?"

Elena gestured for him to sit on the bed. Obviously Caroline hadn't told him _every _story.

"How much do you know about Mystic Falls?"

Tyler's eyes widened slightly. "You're not a vampire, are you?"

He was genuinely worried, and Elena wouldn't have laughed anyway. "No," she said solemnly. "You know that Stefan and Damon were alive during the Civil War. They were both in love with the same woman, who happened to be a vampire. On the night of the Battle of Willow Creek –" Elena paused, making sure Tyler had paid attention in history at least some of the time – "Katherine, the woman they loved, was captured, along with the rest of the vampires in Mystic Falls. Stefan and Damon went to save her, but in the process, they were killed by their own father. They had Katherine's blood in their system, and they turned."

"What does any of this have to do with you?" Tyler asked. He had been listening intently as Elena spoke, but he now voiced his confusion. Elena couldn't blame him. The supernatural world was complicated and confusing. He was doing surprisingly well, but she supposed he had a head start, what with being a werewolf.

"I'm Katherine's doppelgänger."

"What? Like a double?"

"Exactly like a double. We look exactly alike, but we're two completely different people. Katherine is ruthless, cold, and calculating. And she could pretend to be me at any point in time."

Tyler let out a breath. "Wow. So why does Klaus want you?"

"He's trying to break a curse on him. He needs the doppelgänger, a vampire, a witch, and . . . _Oh, __Tyler._"

"What? What's wrong?" Tyler asked concernedly, alarmed by the pitiful look upon Elena's face.

Elena was about to explain to Tyler about the elements necessary to break the curse when her door was flung open. Klaus appeared, followed by two minions dragging in a very unconscious, disheveled Caroline.

"Oh my god," Tyler gasped, rushing to Caroline and the servants nearly dropped her on the floor. "What did you do to her?" he hissed at Klaus, who rolled his eyes in response.

"Tyler, mate. And the lovely Elena," Klaus drawled, his attention turning to his very favorite doppelgänger.

"_What did you do to her?_" Tyler shouted, looking between Klaus and Caroline with a mixture of anger and worry.

"Oh, will you calm down?" Klaus said in exasperation. "She'll be _fine. _We just had a bit of . . . fun. Now," he said, clapping his hands to regain all attention, "tonight just happens to be a full moon. I'm quite excited, and I would love it if you could attend." The smirk on his face would rival that of Damon's, but there was something much more sinister about Klaus's. And with that, he spun on his heel and walked out of Elena's room, his servants following close behind.

"What did he mean by 'fun'?" Tyler asked worriedly.

Elena shook her head. "I don't know, Tyler. But you need to know. In order to break the curse, Klaus needs a witch to cast the spell, and he has to sacrifice a vampire, a werewolf, and a doppelgänger."

Tyler's eyes widened once again, but his concern was all for Caroline. Elena didn't blame him. She wasn't worried about herself at all – only for Caroline and Tyler. They had their whole lives ahead of them . . . . Well, Caroline had eternity. Either way, the both of them were far too young to die, and the only hope she had of escaping or being saved was slowly fading away.

* * *

Elijah, Damon, and Stefan had their plan ready. In theory, it would work brilliantly. There was just the matter of accounting for the many defenses Klaus would have in place and the multitude of minions he had. Elijah had a very good idea as to where Klaus was located, knowing his very distinctive patterns.

Elijah led the Salvatores to a very remote, very grand mansion located off of Keller Road in Marinette. They couldn't afford to wait until night fell to free Elena, because they would have already left for the ritual ground. So, it was now or never. And Elijah refused to risk Elena's safety by waiting any longer. She was far too dear to him – not that he was going to admit it to the Salvatores – to risk anything.

Stefan would distract Klaus's minions by purposely being noisy and obvious. Damon would move deeper into the mansion and distract Klaus as Elijah found Elena and got her out as quickly as possible. So, yes, in theory, it would work well. But they were moving into this completely and utterly blind.

Elijah moved to the back door of the mansion and Damon to the side while Stefan walked right up to the front door and knocked on it. Elijah had to give the Salvatores credit – they were willing to sacrifice themselves to save Elena. One of Klaus's minions answered the door and Stefan ruthlessly snapped his neck. He rang the doorbell this time, and another servant came, but stopped cold when he saw Stefan standing over his comrade's dead body. As he shouted out for help, Stefan stepped through the doorway and snapped his neck as well. Four more horrendously compelled humans stepped into the foyer and Stefan easily killed them. The only thing keeping him from being crippled with guilt was the thought of Elena. He was doing this for Elena.

Damon slipped in the French doors on the side of the house. He immediately encountered five of Klaus's minions and killed them loudly, viciously.

Elijah waited for a few minutes before ghosting in through the back door, which had been left wide open. It was as if Klaus was so certain Elijah and the Salvatores wouldn't find him that he was being completely lax as far as defenses and security went. He sped up the stairs, completely silent. He opened every door he came across, each room as empty as the next. He came to another set of stairs which led to a long hall with only two doors, right at the very end. He was at the end in a matter or nanoseconds. He stood still, listening intently. Then he heard it. Elena's breathing, the beating of her heart. He would recognize it anywhere. He opened the door to his left immediately putting a finger to his lips to keep her quiet. The expression on her face was more than he could have hoped for. He was her saving grace.

"Elena," he breathed, almost inaudibly. He moved to her side and she hopped off her bed and wrapped her arms around Elijah.

"I'm so glad you're here," she mouthed. "But Tyler and Caroline are here, too. We have to save them."

Elijah nodded. He understood. They were important to her. He held her to him for a second longer before stepping back. His mouth moved to her ear. "We _will _save them, but we're getting you out first. You're our first priority."

As he pulled away, Elena remained still. Finally, after nearly thirty seconds, she nodded. She believed him and trusted him implicitly. He _would _save them before it was too late.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **You guys need to review. Why, you ask? Because there's sixty-nine reviews right now and I'm far too immature/awesome to handle that. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Much love!

Also, you should _really _listen to Guarded by Kevin Daniel, which was an inspiration for this fic. It's a gorgeous song that really screams Elejah (and I listened to on repeat while writing this)!

* * *

_Chapter 8_

The plan was very simple. Get Elena, get out, keep her safe, then come back for Caroline and Tyler. It worked seamlessly – in theory. What Elijah and the Salvatores didn't account for was Klaus's appearance. They had assumed, seeing as all of his human cohorts had been mercilessly killed by Stefan and Damon, that Klaus was already at the ritual grounds, planning out the sacrifice. Unfortunately for Team Awesome – Damon felt they needed a name – Team Suck – Damon felt Klaus's side also needed a name – was not at the ritual grounds. Team Suck was in the house, ever-present as if he were a shadow cast upon the wall.

Once Elena agreed to Elijah's proposed plan, they left the room in which she was being held prisoner and silently made their way down the stairs and into the grand living room. Stefan and Damon stood facing Elijah and Elena, and Elena could see the look of pure relief upon Stefan's guilt-ridden face. As soon as the relief faded, his face became a hard, stony mask, and did not betray any emotion. Elijah found this odd as they moved into the living room, but soon realized the cause of the Salvatores' blatant discomfort. Klaus stood in front of the fire place, just to the left of Elijah. He lurked in the shadows, watching with an indifferent expression, but Elijah knew his blood was boiling beneath the emotionless mask he wore. Quickly, Elijah maneuvered Elena behind himself, and Stefan and Damon moved forward to flank his sides. It was an obvious risk, challenging Klaus, but it was one that Elijah was willing to take. After everything he'd done to keep Elena safe, he'd be damned if he was going to let Klaus take her back. Not now, and not ever.

He could feel Elena trembling behind him as Klaus took a step forward, centering himself within the room. The Salvatores barely contained their territorial snarls, but Elijah held out his arm, blocking Damon. He knew the elder Salvatore to be more likely to pick a fight, and the most likely of everyone in the room to be killed, besides the human that stood behind him.

Klaus let out a soft chuckle, but Elijah knew what it really meant. It was a chuckle of pity for the idiocy that stood before him. His brother of all people should know better than to to challenge him, and the two Salvatores were nothing more than easily disposable accessories. Taking another step forward so that he and Elijah were no more than three feet apart, Klaus looked up, his blue eyes piercing Elijah's brown ones.

"I suggest you give me my doppelgänger before I have to kill the three of you," he said deliberately, his voice ringing with authority.

"I'm afraid that won't be happening, Niklaus," said Elijah, his tone equally commanding, if not more.

"Come to try and foil my plans yet again, big brother?" Klaus taunted, his eyes flicking back and forth between Elijah and Elena.

Elijah did not respond. He didn't want to dignify Klaus's deflections with an answer. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Damon move to spring at Klaus, and once again, he saved the younger vampire's life. His head spun, his eyes flashing dangerously as he reproved Damon silently. The blue-eyed vampire rolled his eyes as their attention refocused on Klaus.

"You will not be sacrificing Elena, Niklaus," Elijah stated, his tone demanding the attention of everyone in the room. "She's human and she will remain that way. You will not use her as you tried to use Katerina, nor will you take advantage of her as you did with Tatia. Because of your thirst for greatness, our family remains in coffins with daggers in their hearts. Not so long ago, you wanted all of us together. Do you not see where your plan has gotten you? It's made you live in solitude, without friendship or family. You've become cold, desensitized. Is this what you want, Niklaus, to become as powerful as you can? Is this the cost you're willing to pay? Because you will never have a family again if you continue on this path. You will be alone forever, with no one to blame but yourself. So, the decision is yours. Will you bring our family back, or will you continue on your descent into madness, where you will meet your downfall at one time or another? The choice is yours and yours alone, Niklaus, but you must face the consequences that come with either."

Throughout Elijah's speech, Elena watched as Klaus's thick exterior crumbled, leaving nothing but the shell of a man that had once been full of life and happiness. She did not know the entire history of Elijah and his family, and she did not understand a few of the references he made, but she watched as they affected Klaus so deeply. She didn't feel sorry for him by any means, but she could see why Elijah wanted him to choose the right path. He had known the real Klaus when he was human, before he turned cold. She knew Elijah wanted his brother back, but she had a feeling all he was going to get was his wrath.

His jaw set and his eyes moist, Klaus looked at the floor as he spoke. "Do you think yourself so much better than I? All your claims to nobility, but when it suits your needs, you kill, maim, and torment. I've watched you over the years, Elijah. Don't think for one moment that I didn't keep up on your whereabouts. You were the oldest, and the most calculating. You knew all the events that would transpire from one action, so you plotted your moves carefully, deliberately. But I was always there in the shadows, watching, waiting for you to slip up just once. You never did, though. I should have daggered you when I had the chance. Not to worry, though, soon you'll be reunited with our dear siblings."

It all happened so quickly. Stefan and Damon grabbed Elena and they flew out of the house and into Elijah's awaiting car. Looking over her shoulder as she was swept from the room, she saw Elijah holding a wooden dagger in his hand, though she didn't know how much good that would do. She'd seen Elijah daggered herself, with a stake much larger than that, and he was in perfect condition. She had no more than a half-second, though, to process the sight before she was sitting in the backseat of Elijah's car. Stefan was in the driver's seat and Damon in the passenger's. She saw Stefan moving to put the car in drive and she cried out.

"We are _not _leaving Elijah here!"

Stefan hesitated for a moment before shifting the car.

"Stefan!" Elena screamed. "Caroline, Tyler, and Elijah are in there! You are not leaving them! Put the car back in park, _now!_"

Neither Stefan nor Damon had ever heard Elena scream like she was now. There were angry tears streaming down her face and her hands were flying all over the place. The Salvatores looked at each other, their eyes wide. Stefan's hand moved to the gear shift and he parked the car. Elena jumped out of her door and sprinted for the front door of the mansion. Damon was in front of her in an instant, his trademark smirk upon his face.

"Don't think you're going back in there alone, Gilbert."

* * *

They arrived back in the room just as Elijah deftly fended off a silver dagger laced with white oak ash. Stefan and Damon stood in front of Elena, protecting her on the off chance that Klaus abandoned his fight with Elijah and went for her instead. Elena poked Stefan in the back and nodded insistently toward the stairs, silently telling him to hurry the hell up and find Caroline and Tyler. He nodded and ghosted up the stairs, leaving only Damon to protect Elena. She was less than pleased with the situation, but she knew Stefan truly cared about her friends. Damon, on the other hand, was more apt to take away her free will and ignore her friends and loved ones completely. The two of them watched in rapture, Elena deathly afraid for Elijah's life and Damon indifferent. Finally, after what could have been thirty seconds or five minutes, Elijah pinned Klaus against the wall and Damon rushed forward to help him. Elijah plunged the wooden stake he held into Klaus's heart. Elena watched as Klaus's eyes widened and he gasped. He looked down at the stake in his chest, his skin beginning to grey. In a matter of moments, it was all over.

"We have to get out of here," Damon announced, moving back to Elena.

Elena ignored Damon and went to stand by Elijah's side. "Are you all right?" she asked, her eyes scanning him for signs of trauma.

He turned his head away from her, but she could have sworn she saw a single tear roll down his cheek. "He's dead."

"Elijah, you said yourself you can't be killed –"

"I killed him with a white oak stake," he said simply. "He's dead forever."

At this news, Damon's eyes widened and he sped upstairs to tell his brother and assist in the search for Caroline and Tyler.

Elena realized why Elijah had shed a tear. "And you don't know the location of your family," she finished for him.

Elijah turned to Elena, the human girl that looked just like the women he'd once loved. She was a young woman who had gone through far too much pain and loss, who had been swallowed up by the supernatural world, yet somehow had been able to retain every ounce of her humanity and the qualities that came with it.

"It does not matter, Elena," Elijah said softly.

"We'll find them, Elijah, I promise. You won't have to be alone anymore." She took his hand in hers, lacing her finger through it.

He looked down at their entwined hands, and then back into her chocolate brown eyes that matched his own so well. "Thank you, Elena, but my family aren't fit for this world. They would destroy it in their anger, bloodlust, and irresponsibility. They aren't fit for civilized living. It's best that they remain the way they are."

Elena could sense the hurt in Elijah's voice, and she knew the effort it took for him to say that. Instead of ruining the moment with words, she embraced the Original, hugging him tightly to her. Elijah's body immediately stiffened in his broken state, but after a moment, his arms came up and he held Elena to his chest, resting his chin upon her head.

As they broke apart, their eyes met and Elena knew. In that instant, she realized why Stefan had asked her if she loved Elijah. Maybe she had all along and just couldn't admit it to herself. But none of that mattered anymore. She knew now, and as he looked at her in the way only he could, she knew he felt the same. Simultaneously, they leaned forward. As their lips were about to meet, Caroline burst into the room. Elena and Elijah jumped apart and tried to act as if nothing had happened. Elena smiled as tears sprang into her eyes, and hurried forward to hug her friend. Caroline was shaking and crying. Tyler came forward and smiled at the two girls as they broke apart. Elena chanced a glance over her shoulder to see that Elijah had vanished. She felt her stomach drop, despite her being reunited with her friends. Tyler put his arm around Caroline and kissed the top of her head.

Elena cleared her throat. "We should probably leave." Tyler and Caroline nodded, but Elena's eyes darted all over the room, wishing Elijah would appear. When she realized he wouldn't she followed her friends out to the car. Elijah was in the driver's seat, and the three of them slid into the backseat. Elena leaned her cheek against the cold window, her breath fogging it up. Damon hopped into the passenger seat and Stefan squeezed into the already crowded backseat. Elena watched in Elijah's rear view mirror, waiting for him to look at her, but he didn't.

* * *

The ride back to the hotel that Stefan and Damon had booked was utterly silent apart from the clip-clop of the car's wheels against the pavement. Tyler and Caroline rented a room at Elijah's insistence, and they thanked him profusely for the use of his credit card. Stefan and Damon each went to their rooms, and soon Elena and Elijah were the only ones left. He drove them back to the house that Elena hadn't seen in what felt like forever. She'd missed its quaint feeling, and the warmth it exhibited. Yet, as she stepped through the door, it felt cold, but perhaps that was just the distance between her and Elijah.

Her back was to him as she began to speak. "Elijah, I –"

His lips silenced hers in a display of pure passion. He'd never thought it would happen, but here he was, kissing Elena, her lips responding under his, his hand on the small of her back, one of hers threaded through his hair, the other on the side of his face. His mouth moved to her neck, and she whimpered at the loss, but soon gasped when she felt his blunt teeth graze her neck in a way that reverberated in her entire body.

She put her hands on either side of his face and pulled him back up to face her. He held her body to his, listening to the sound of her heartbeat. He kissed the top of her head lovingly as he held her, and she wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could.

"I'm ready," he whispered.

* * *

**A/N: **Um. Guarded is finished, guys. Not to say that there won't be a sequel, but for right now, I still have time doesn't stand still anymore, Barbie and the Beast, and Closer. I really, truly appreciate all of you who've reviewed, favorited, and followed, and even those of you who've just been my silent readers. You're all amazing and I'm just so ridiculously emotional right now. . . It's an Elejah feels kind of night.

Please, _please _(yes, I'm begging) let me know what you thought about this chapter, and/or the fic in general. Your feedback is one of the main things that keeps me going.

And for any sort of sneak peeks or updates of any kind, follow my tumblr: cuddly-hybrids.

Love, always and forever,

Taylor


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